But yeah when he was drafted he was know for his gritty play and was projected an elite 3rd line player who scored the garbage gritty goals, I don't think he has lost it its just that he has developed other skills that doesn't require him to sit at the front of the net to rack up points, I have still seen him in score in front of the net while getting cross checked from behind, like yesterday's game winner against Albany for example.

Actually, I tracked Silfverberg a lot and when he was drafted, he was thought of as a boom or bust prospect. He was known for his gritty play but his skating was in huge question; if his physical play would actually translate anywhere when he cant keep up with the play it wouldn't do him much. Everyone knew he had raw skill but a lot of people didn't think he would amount to much. He either put it all together or didn't. A year later, improvements were made in his skating drastically and the option of playing a good bottom 6 role was a good possibility then Brynas told him to focus more on his offensive game and that's when Ronnberg started mentioning his offensive ceiling to everyone and called him to be the best player in the SEL last year which he was. Anders Forsberg was so high on Silfverberg that he wanted to pick him ahead of Lehner with one of the seconds just in-case someone else might want him.

I would say he is closer to this than Chris Kelly. We all know he is not Crosby. He has a ton of hockey sense and a nose for the net however. He is also fairly defensively sound and not afraid to shake it up a little bit in dirty areas.

Quote:

Luke didn't hold back talking about silfverberg.

So essentially what I said has just been backed up by an NHL/AHL coach and former NHL professional.

The goaltender, I don’t care, he can know that he’s going over his glove or he can put his glove there and (Silfverberg) still beats him. (His shot) is that hard and that fast. It’s wicked.

Quote:

"He’s going to be a guy that when the lockout ends, unfortunately he won’t be in the (AHL) long for me, but to his credit, he’s a world class player and he deserves to be in the best league when it gets going.”

I miss NHL so much right now it hurts.....
I dream of a PP with Silf and Karlsson (and maybe Alfredsson)
Dont matter who takes the shot they are all crazy good but
i have seen Silfverberg all last season and it is amazing to see
that release, so quick.

I miss NHL so much right now it hurts.....
I dream of a PP with Silf and Karlsson (and maybe Alfredsson)
Dont matter who takes the shot they are all crazy good but
i have seen Silfverberg all last season and it is amazing to see
that release, so quick.

Spezza, Karlsson, Alfredsson, Silfverberg and Michalek in front. Is there a more lethal powerplay with the threat of an absolute laser from all corners of the PP formation?

The AHL doesn't consider him a rookie.
"Who qualifies as an AHL rookie?

To be considered a rookie, a player must not have played in a total of twenty-five (25) or more AHL and/or NHL regular-season games in any preceding seasons, nor in six (6) or more AHL and/or NHL regular-season games in each of any two preceding seasons, nor in one hundred (100) regular-season games in any European Elite League. A player who has met these qualifications but did so while playing on an amateur try-out agreement or as a signed junior will not have those games count towards his rookie status. Any player at least twenty-six (26) years of age (by Sept. 15 of that season) is not considered a rookie.

I was talking about the other attributes that I stated. His shot is a no brainer.

Would you like to go back and tell me what we were debating? Because I have no idea.

I think it's that someone said we should focus on his weaknesses. And I said his weakness is that he isn't in the elite in many parts of his game that will keep him from being a true elite in the game. This is probably true.

Where are we disagreeing? I'm pretty sure all I said was he isn't going to be Sidney Crosby, but that goes without saying, so talking about his weaknesses isn't really necessary, he doesn't really have any.